Referring a Patient

How to refer a patient to SickKids

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) uses an online referral system to support more timely and efficient management of referral from health-care professionals to the outpatient clinics. This system is beneficial to the referring physician, to the child and their family and to our hospital.

The online system electronically routes patient referrals for review, triage and booking. It provides automated responses to let you know when your referral has been received, whether it has been redirected and to whom, and when the patient has been booked for an appointment.

There are currently two ways to refer a patient electronically:

1. electronic Child Health Network (eCHN) eReferral. This is the referral process that we ask all referrers to use and it provides the following benefits:

Draft capability: save your incomplete referral and complete it at a later time.

For urgent referrals only (same day referrals), contact eCHN’s helpdesk directly 416-813-7998 or 1-877-252-9900, or by email at helpdesk@echn.ca. On weekends and after 6 p.m. weekdays, please contact the fellow on call via SickKids locating at 416-813-1500.

2. The original Ambulatory Referral Management system (ARMs)

This online referral system provides an automated response to let you know:

When your referral has been received.

Whether it has been redirected, and to whom.

When the patient has been booked for an appointment.

Your patients and your office benefit because:

Your referral is immediately directed to the right clinic.

Patients get the right care at the right time.

Staff spend less time on the phone, because clinics aren't calling for more information and you always know the status of your referral.

Visit ARMS eReferral. We encourage you to investigate the benefits of submitting a referral via eCHN. Please contact eCHN at 416-813-7998 or via helpdesk@echn.ca.